Fresh, set lemon cream gets a fruity drizzle of olive oil and crispy rice with honey. Make the cream well ahead of time; add the rice just before serving so it stays crunchy.
This lemon cream is all about contrasts that balance each other. The cream is soft and mild, with enough lemon juice to taste fresh; lemon zest also adds fragrant citrus oils. A little fruity olive oil brings a green, sometimes slightly bitter note. Choose an oil you’d also happily drizzle over bread or salad, but avoid anything too peppery: it can overpower the lemon. The rice adds a dry, crispy bite, and the honey makes it just sweet enough.
The base is thickened with cornstarch, not egg. That keeps the method straightforward and gives you a firm, spoonable cream once chilled. First dissolve the cornstarch in cold milk to prevent lumps. Then heat the mixture thoroughly, stirring constantly: the cream should visibly thicken and gently bubble briefly to cook the cornstarch. Add the lemon juice only after taking the pan off the heat. This helps reduce the chance of the dairy curdling from the combination of acid and high heat. Stir gently until the cream is smooth again.
Lemons are generally available year-round; choose ones with firm, glossy skin that smells aromatic. Since the zest goes straight into the cream, zest only the yellow part and avoid the white, bitter pith. Juice the lemons and measure the juice: the amount can vary from fruit to fruit. For a slightly milder cream, you can replace some of the lemon juice with milk, but keep the total amount of liquid roughly the same. Whole milk and cream give the mildest flavor; don’t use sour cream as a substitute.
The puffed rice is best added to the plate just before eating. Stir the rice into warm butter and honey, then spread the mixture out and let it cool completely; it firms up and gets crispier as it cools. It’s best to make small batches, because moisture from the cream will soften the topping over time. You can keep the lemon cream covered in the fridge for up to two days. Store the cooled rice separately in a tightly sealed container at room temperature. Serve the cream cold, with a thin drizzle of olive oil and the rice on top.
Scrub the lemons clean and zest only the yellow part of the peel. Juice them and measure out 60 ml of juice.
In a saucepan, whisk the cornstarch smooth with a splash of the cold milk. Whisk in the remaining milk, the heavy cream and the sugar.
Heat the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring gently but constantly with a whisk. Once the cream thickens and starts to bubble gently, cook it for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the lemon zest and gradually add the lemon juice. Stir until the cream is smooth. Divide between four small bowls, cover and leave to set in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
For the topping, melt the butter with the honey and salt in a frying pan over low heat. Stir in the puffed rice and cook, tossing, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the grains are glossy and evenly coated.
Spread the rice out on baking paper and leave to cool completely. Break any clumped pieces into smaller pieces.
Scatter the crispy rice over the cold lemon cream and finish each bowl with a thin drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.
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